Heavy research

Golly, how time flies. It's been three weeks since my last update - but you'll be pleased to hear I haven't been idle.
On the one hand, I was busy with the "other" job, being the one that pays, but you don't want to hear about that. More importantly, I took advantage of the excuse some visiting friends provided to have a few what-the-hell, you-only-live-once kind of days. So, a remise (car and driver) was hired to take us down to Septima, then along to Catena Zapata - both really very impressive operations, with stunning settings, interesting architecture, and (of course) some equally classy wines.
My pick - the D.V Catena Cabernet-Cabernet (no, that's not a typo ...) 2001. A dense, candied fruit cab sav with interesting herbal notes, intense but not overly aggressive mouth feel, and impressive length. AR$105 a bottle, mind you, so it better be good.
Also managed to dine at La Bourgogne, highly-rated restaurant at Carlos Pulenta's Vistalba vineyard. Very good it was too, lovely setting, fantastic service, good food and a couple of brilliant blends: Carlos's own Vistalba Corte B, which is a Malbec/Cab Sav with a touch of Merlot and Bonarda for good measure - and a cracker it is too - and, since we didn't want to play favourites, a bottle of his brothers' Hugo and Eduardo's excellent Pulenta Estate VII Gran Corte. A stunning blend of Malbec, Merlot, Cab Sav, with some Petit Verdot and Tannat to add a little something different. Well integrated French oak adding some wonderful clove notes, and it was certainly worth writing home (or blogging) about.
Anyways - mostly I just added to my backlog of reviews for posting at Argentina Wine Guide - they'll get there, though, don't worry about that!
cheers
Luke